World Cup organizers create designated ‘sobering-up’ areas to curve fan drunkenness

Fans attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar may be subject to a special zone to sober up if they become to intoxicated, organizers confirmed.

Nasser Al Khater, Qatar’s World Cup chief, cited safety when he spoke about the implementation of the designated areas.

“There are plans in place for people to sober up if they’ve been drinking excessively,” Al Khater, who is chief executive of the supreme committee. “It’s a place to make sure that they keep themselves safe, they’re not harmful to anybody else,” Al Khater told Sky News.

FIFA and World Cup officials previously reached an agreement that allows fans to buy beer during matches. However, the agreement stated only licensed hotel restaurants and bars would be allowed to sell alcohol.

Public intoxication is not particularly prevalent in Qatar. The designated areas are being presented as an alternative to wide scale arrests of fans throughout the World Cup.  

Any fan who is sent to the “sobering up” zone will have to stay there until they display clearheaded behavior, according to ESPN. However, fans’ release will also come with a warning.

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Since 1986, Budweiser has been the exclusive beer brand of the World Cup. 

Budweiser’s parent company, AB InBev, renewed its deal with FIFA through this year, which put pressure on the country to ease its restrictions.

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Fans will not be able to purchase alcohol at concession stands, but alcoholic beverages will be available within multiple stadium compounds.

Fans are allowed to take non-alcoholic drinks to their seats.

The 2022 World Cup begins on November 20 and runs through December 18.